Tag Archive: optimism

Taking a Moment

A former tour member and friend (the latter invariably follows from the former) just asked me how difficult my Romania tour will be. I started my reply with the medieval cobblestone streets, gentle… Continue reading

Scared to go to Turkey

The walls were solid and strong, despite the detritus of old neglect in the corners, the spray painted confusion, and the sense of old cigarettes. And everywhere, the kind of shadows you’re supposed… Continue reading

Would you rather…feel good?

The playground game was simple. Ask “Would you rather…” followed by two options, probably one that’s physically unlikely and one that’s gastronomically inadvisable. Both options were reliably horrendous. It was a “choose your… Continue reading

Trump is exactly what America needs

Equal Pay Day yesterday deserved a post. Something to address the crushing idiocy that women would have to work these extra months into 2018 to earn as much as men did in 2017.… Continue reading

The undesirability of heroism

Hearing Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) discuss fungal infections, abscess scars, and which diseases merit treatment was a trip in itself. But it took me a day or so to realize these are far… Continue reading

Moving into 2018

Yesterday, fifth of the thirteen flights I am or was booked on in these couple weeks, had a three year old named Noah across the aisle. He was wearing a pilot’s hat and… Continue reading

Nachos in Luxembourg

Have you ever eaten nachos in Luxembourg? If not, please don’t. Just trust me on this one. One biggish chip, subdivided into four quadrants, with a threadbare carpet of cheddarlike cheese under the… Continue reading

I’m glad the alt right is coming to San Francisco

The white supremacist, with his full grown body, stunted intellect, and all the moral development of pond algae thinks that he is oppressed. He feels his heritage, status, and very understanding of the… Continue reading

The Dutch oven of modern politics

It’s disappointingly easy to convince people that The Outsiders, the They, are responsible for all your troubles and are a threat to your safety. Terrifyingly reliable, century by century. So I watched this… Continue reading

New ancient beauty in Phong Nha caves

“Sure, Myanmar’s great now, but you should have seen it five years ago!” Budapest ten years ago. Prague twenty years ago. Kathmandu in the 60’s, man, that’s where it was at! You hear… Continue reading